Android Gingerbread Uploads Now at 51%

Google has shared with developers the latest Android-uptake figures, and it's good news for anyone creating in Gingerbread.

While during the two weeks ending Oct. 3, version 2.3 had been uploaded by 39% of the Android users visiting the Android Market (MDP: Android 'Gingerbread' Uptake Now at 39%), during the two weeks ending Dec. 1, that figure was up to 50.6%, making it the most popularly used version by far. Version 2.1, known as Eclair, was used by just 9.6% of the users who visited the market, while 2.2, or Froyo, was at just over 35% and 3.3, Honeycomb, was under 3%.

The versions are forward compatible — what runs in 2.2. will run in 2.3 — but not the reverse, and Android has been criticized for being too fragmented (CP: Android could cost operators an avoidable $2 billion a year), causing users to have unrealistic expectations about the capabilities of an "Android" device, not taking into account the various versions.

Meanwhile, Android 4.0, known as Ice Ceram Sandwich, and currently only available on Galaxy Nexus phones, has been rolled out to Google employees — some of whom Tweeted about it, according to Android Police, apparently without Google's consent. According the site, the Tweets, and Google+ posts, were quickly deleted.

One unauthorized Tweet read: "Just got Ice-cream Sandwich update on my Nexus S & it's looking great." Another, just as unrevealing, noted that Google employees were testing the OS to make it more "awesome," adding: "So sadly I can't comment on it more at this time..."